


A Quick Question Over Coffee

by Strega_VonDrachen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Ficlet, First Kiss, Fluff, Too much coffee, Tumblr Prompt, and regina loves it, emma is such a dork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 13:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17367068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strega_VonDrachen/pseuds/Strega_VonDrachen
Summary: A kinda funny and seriously fluffy SQ ficlet, inspired by this prompt from @Waknatious: "Overly-caffeinated Emma is blathering on and on and just being too goddamn cute, and won’t shut up, and Regina has to finally just kiss her to make it all stop. Extra kudos if you work in a first-kiss trope."I aim to please. ^_^





	A Quick Question Over Coffee

Today was supposed to be the day. Emma had psyched herself up and over, time and time again, rehearsing lines and ditching them, worrying deeply about what to wear and berating herself for being so hung up on details that had never bothered her before. After all, it was just coffee. Just a friendly, midday, no pressure meeting over coffee to discuss plans for Henry’s birthday that week. It wasn’t like Regina had any way of knowing Emma was also prepared to ask her out on a date. She could bail on her plan any moment, at any point, and Regina would be none the wiser. No sweat. But while her cover was cool, her nerves, after three cups of pre-coffee coffee, were anything but. 

Emma had arrived way too early, unable to sit still waiting in silence at the sheriff’s station, and so had fretfully killed the time while drinking a seemingly endless cup of coffee. Granny, ever present with the pot, always managed to give her a refill when she wasn’t looking, distracted by her phone, checking the time and for any potential messages. She got the distinct impression the nosy old woman was as interested in her phone as she was and so pocketed it. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself, and wondered if this really was the best place to make her move. 

Her leg bounced nervously under the table while she stirred sugar into her replenished cup. It was almost three o’clock. Regina would be here any moment now. She knew her plan. It was simple. Ask about her meeting. Volunteer to help set up the backyard for the party. And then suggest, at the right moment, that they go to dinner the night after. Regina would then remind her that Henry would be leaving for a camping trip with David that morning. At which point, if all was going well, Emma would lift an eyebrow, lean casually closer, confidently seductive, and say, “ _Yeah. I know.”_

She was smirking, satisfied with her fool-proof plan, and was about to take a sip of her fourth cup of coffee, when she heard the tinkling bells of the diner door as it opened. Her knee jerked, hitting the table and disrupting the sugar caddy, nearly spilling her cup as she scrambled to put things back in place before she saw her. No such luck, however. 

Regina, fabulous in one of Emma’s favorite Mayoral suits, red silk blouse with the top button straining, a sharp black as night blazer, pencil skirt and killer heels, entered and arched an eyebrow at her as she made her way over to the booth. “Emma,” she said, heels clicking on the linoleum with every step. “You look almost surprised to see me.” 

Still rubbing the sore spot on her knee, Emma realized her mouth had been hanging open, caught for a spell by the sight of her. “Hey, Regina,” she said, flashing a smile, forcing down the butterflies flapping like mad within her stomach. She all but flew out of her booth, standing up to… to…. Why the hell was she standing? “Uh…. have a seat.” She gestured for Regina to take the spot across from her at the table. 

She looked at her as though she might be ill. “Are you all right?” 

“Oh, great, yeah, thanks,” Emma rambled, noting how her extended hand shook in time with her racing heartbeat. She withdrew it, sending it nervously through her hair, and laughed awkwardly. Her cheeks, she could feel, were red. “How are you?” 

Glancing sideways, eyebrow arched even higher, Regina took her seat. Emma swallowed and sat with her. “Quite well, thank you.” 

“Good. That’s good.” Emma licked her lips. “I’m good, too.” 

Regina’s lip quirked. “If you say so.” 

Graciously, and Emma thanked her lucky stars, Granny appeared at Regina’s side in that exact moment. “Coffee, and a fruit salad. Thank you, Granny,” she said, not noticing the way Emma had shut her eyes tight while her brain screamed at her to calm down. 

“Gonna have to brew a new pot,” Granny said before walking off. “You’d think it was going out of style the way she drinks it.” 

Emma could have killed her. 

“Long night?” Regina asked Emma in turn, her smile growing sympathetic. 

“Huh?” Emma’s mind suddenly flooded with all sorts of images associated with the phrase ‘long night’, all of them featuring Regina and none of them remotely accurate to her meaning. “Oh!” she said, finally connecting the dots. “Yeah. Real late. You know, that sick Monday night double shift. It’s a doozy.” She occupied her hands, and her mouth, taking a long sip of coffee. What she wouldn’t give to just re-do the last two minutes… 

“Well, since you clearly need the rest,” Regina said, launching right to business and pulling a few folders from her briefcase. “I’ll make this quick.” 

Emma tried to not let the disappointment show on her face. Meticulous and overly prepared, as usual, Regina went over the bullet point itinerary for the party, the guest list, the provisions required, and Henry’s gift wish list. Her food and coffee arrived soon enough. Emma held her hand over her cup when Granny tried to top it off and could have sworn she saw a smirk sneak across Regina’s lips when she did. 

Well, at least she was amusing, if nothing else. 

“I’d be happy to set up the back yard,” she said, her foot bouncing again. She was going for it. She was going to do it. “You know, so you don’t have to.” 

“Oh, that won’t be necessary. I’ll just use magic.” 

“Are you sure? Because I don’t mind. I want to help. I want to be there.” 

“Well, of course, you’re going to be there,” she said, squinting at her as though trying to read her mind. “Henry would be upset if you weren’t.” 

“Well, yeah, of course. I didn’t mean– I only– I just want to help.” Emma’s voice was higher than she would have liked. She cleared her throat. “I like being around. You know?” 

At that, Regina paused. Her smile grew warm. “I do.” She took her cup and clinked it gently against Emma’s. “We enjoy having you around.” 

Emma moved to take up her now cold and nearly empty cup, to return the cheers and sip with her, and nearly fumbled for it. Her nerves had never been half so wired. She placed it back down with a sheepish grin and smoothed her hands over jeans under the table. 

Now or never. Now or never. “Regina,” she said, licking her lips.

“Yes?” 

Now or never. “I was thinking… um… Maybe the next day, we could, um, if you wanted–” Spit it out, Swan. Now or never. Do it now. “–we could go to dinner.” 

Her heart rammed against her chest and seemed to ricochet into her lungs. Emma held her breath, waiting. 

Regina nodded. “That’s a great idea, Emma. Henry was so disappointed this morning when David said he had to cancel their camping trip.” She finished her coffee and began to put away the party folder. 

Emma blinked. “What?”

Regina stilled. “What?” 

“David canceled?” 

“Yes. He has the flu.” 

“Oh.” 

“You didn’t know?” 

Emma’s lips were going pale. “Nope. News to me.” 

“Right. Doozy Monday doubles. How could you have known…” Regina said, shaking her head. “Well, regardless, I’m sure Henry would love–” She stopped, and Emma could practically hear the gears in her mind turning. “You… didn’t know, but you just–” 

Emma gulped. The look that Regina was giving her made her feel naked. “Ok, forget it,” she said, hands coming up by her sides as if surrendering. “Forget I said anything. It never happened.” She waved her fingers, wondering in vain if Jedi mind tricks came par for the course with Savior magic. 

“What, never… Emma?” Regina’s head titled in confusion. 

She was blowing this. “It’s nothing. I just– just wanted to do something nice. For you. And Henry, too, of course, but…” Her hands anxiously tapped the table and she sighed, stilling them flat on top, bracing herself. “Look. Regina. I–” 

_Just. Do. It._

“Ok. Here’s the thing.” She took a deep breath. “I want to take you to dinner. You. Just you. I want you get dressed up, and go out with me, on a date. Yeah, I want to take you out, on a date, with food and wine and maybe dancing, if that’s not too weird, and if it is then we don’t have to. I don’t even know if you like dancing, now that I think about it, but it could maybe be fun with me, you know? So…” She inhaled, shakily, having run out of breath. 

Regina’s eyes were wide and unblinking. Emma felt her panic double. “Or not! We don’t have to do any of that!” She leaned in, lowering her volume. “I’m real sorry, I didn’t mean to assume, I just thought lately that you were giving me signals and—” 

She was silenced by the softest touch of crimson painted lips. 

Regina, eyes half closed, had leaned across and kissed her. Emma was frozen, not daring to move or even breathe. Her hands were slowly covered, gentle and calming, and the kiss pressed deeper. 

What felt like an eternity passed in the blink of an eye. She watched Regina’s eyes drift open, sparkling at her with mischief, as she pulled slowly away and licked her lips with a surprisingly shy smile. Emma’s exhale was a sigh, almost a whine. “…Really, Regina?” 

“Absolutely.” She lifted her chin, beaming with pride and promise. Squeezing both her hands, she let go and collected her things. Emma could only watch, gobsmacked. “Pick me up, Saturday night, 8 PM. I’ll make the reservations.” 

Emma nodded mutely, hardly believing this was real life. 

“I do hate to eat and run, but I do have an appointment.” she said, and bit her lip as she scooted out of the booth. Emma, responding on instinct, rose with her, careful not to bump her knee again. They stood facing each other, the tension between them so thick you could choke on it. “I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” 

Emma nodded again. “Yeah. Ok,” she said, a bit breathless. 

Regina hummed, lips pursed and trying not to smile as goofy as Emma was. She reached out and wiped the tiniest bit of lipstick from the corner of Emma’s mouth. “See you soon, Miss Swan,” she said and turned and left, a saunter in her step. 

“I thought  _you_ were gonna be the one taking  _her_ out,” Granny said, suddenly appearing from the booth behind her. Emma jumped, hand flying to her heart. 

“Jeeze, Granny! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” 

The grey woman simply scoffed. “As if your coffee habits wouldn’t do that first.” Clearing the table and handing Emma the bill, she grumbled, “I do hope it goes well for you two. Goodness knows, there’s hardly enough java in the world to quench such an obvious thirst.” 

She was gone before Emma could retort, and all she could do was laugh. She was going on a date, a real date, with Regina Mills. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world and, thanks to the copious amount of caffeine she had consumed, ended up staying awake long into the night counting every single one of her lucky stars. 

It was nearly one in the morning when she received the text. 

_“Emma– Thank you for the coffee today. I wish I could blame it for my inability to sleep right now, but you get to take all the credit. Come by the house early on Friday to help set up the yard. I’ll make you breakfast. Sleep well, dear, if you can. –Regina.”_


End file.
